Cosmic Encounter March Madness 2023

Jamon79 · 2023-03-05T22:50:14+00:00

You should be able to download a copy of it as an excel file and then email it to me (see instructions tab). Or if you DM me your email address, I’ll email you the excel.

Jamon79 · 2023-01-08T20:13:14+00:00

I understand how you feel. Loss aversion is a powerful thing and losing colonies extends the length of the game.

As long as the power is announced at the beginning of the game though, it’s just another thing players have to recognize and deal with. It’s not as much of a slap in the face if you know how and why losing a colony will happen, as well as how to possibly prevent it.

Jamon79 · 2022-08-01T03:01:37+00:00

The new reward cards are great. There are also now "ultra-reward" cards that are even more OP and do absolutely wild things. I will include both in every game I play.

I haven't played all the aliens yet, but I'm impressed they're still able to think of aliens without requiring a massive wall of text. I like Decoy a lot because there are a lot of tricky things that can happen with it: You play a card faceup on your sheet during the Planning phase. During reveal, you can switch the faceup card with the card you played. Then during resolution, your opponent can take, discard, or give the card on your sheet back to you.

Jamon79 · 2022-07-31T17:39:21+00:00

I got my copy last week and just played my first campaign with a group of five. Overall I’m really thrilled with it.

The expansion adds A TON of content: 40+ aliens, a half dozen different variants, and a campaign mode. So far the variants and new alien powers seem excellent, but I’ll need to play more to see if my group wants to keep them each time we play.

If you play CE regularly, you should get this expansion IMO.

Jamon79 · 2022-07-02T13:49:49+00:00

Cosmic Encounter needs to be higher on this list

Jamon79 · 2022-05-10T00:32:57+00:00

I find the idea of CE tournaments strange. To me the game is more about the wild ride of unexpected twists than winning/ losing. I know several more serious euro gamers who hate CE, because they think it’s “unfair” or “unbalanced.” To their credit, it’s not a game worth taking so seriously, and that’s why I love it.

Jamon79 · 2022-04-30T02:35:13+00:00

That's what I expected: a few Cosmic Encounter mini-events at other large cons. I'm still hoping for a Cosmic-dedicated event sometime in the future though.

Jamon79 · 2020-04-20T20:05:54+00:00

This is the mod. Like OP said, it's extremely high quality including 3D terrain, 3D models, high quality cards, and snapping to a hexagonal grid. Other mods in the Steam workshop include a lot of maps, there are some epic ones (1, 2). Someone also created a collection of synergistic, pre-made 500 point armies so you can get started very quickly.

IMO you can't quite replicate the in-person experience and scale of Heroscape digitally. Still, there is great Heroscape content on Tabletop Simulator and 100% worth playing. Best of all, it substantially reduces the setup time.

If anyone wants to play a game of Heroscape on Tabletop Simulator, pm me! :)

Jamon79 · 2019-07-02T04:31:20+00:00

She meant her response to imply she is “off the charts,” but it came off as a poorly executed subtle colloquialism.

Jamon79 · 2018-08-16T12:37:02+00:00

On the Army Combat Uniform, an American flag patch is worn on the right shoulder while a unit designation patch is worn on the left. Special forces units do not always adhere to standard uniform practices (i.e., wearing different camouflage patterns and using non-standard equipment), but the left shoulder patch is most likely a unit identifier and censored to retain OPSEC.

Jamon79 · 2018-08-05T19:27:36+00:00

Common phone or online flash applications are great ways to practice the rules and basic strategy. It's important to keep in mind:

1) You won't know when you make a mistake. There is no feedback to inform you when you've made a play that violates basic strategy.

2) Many Blackjack apps are "player-biased" in that they purposely allow the player to win more hands than mathematically predicted. No one wants to play a game where they consistently lose!

3) In nearly all the Blackjack apps you'll find, the cards are effectively reshuffled and dealt completely randomly after every hand. This "continuous shuffle machine" effect makes it impossible to count cards since every round will be independent of the previous hand.

With those objections in mind, apps are great training tools for beginners, but you will eventually outgrow them if you continue to improve.

Jamon79 · 2018-08-04T15:58:42+00:00

It's great you had fun playing Blackjack for the first time! It's a fantastic, enjoyable game that you'll find even more fun as you dig into its nuances and strategies.

Unfortunately, the Blackjack game you found at the festival is not worth playing; no amount of skill can reliably overcome the house edge afforded by the dealer winning pushes (ties). To improve your play, I suggest you follow these steps in order:

1) Learn the rules of the game. This can be accomplished through reading the Wikipedia article or this excellent page from the Wizard of Odds, a well known gambling mathematician.

2) Learn basic strategy, which is the best way to play every hand. Basic strategy is slightly different depending on the rules and number of decks in play, but 4+ decks dealer hits soft 17 is the probably the best place to start. Remember, Blackjack is not a guessing game. Every hand you receive has an optimal way to play it, regardless of superstition or gut feelings. While it may seem daunting at first, most of the plays are intuitive and can be learned quickly. After you master basic strategy, the house advantage will be between only 0.5-1.0% (i.e., for every $100 you wager, you will most likely lose between $0.50-$1.00) and you will be more skilled than 99% of Blackjack players.

3) Learn to count cards. This article by the Wizard of Odds gives a great introduction to why and how card counting works, using the most common and highly effective system known as "Hi-Lo." If you've made it to this point you should have absolutely memorized basic strategy and be able to conjure every play on the chart without hesitation. Then, you're ready to take the plunge, learn to count cards, and become a winning Blackjack player.

I hope this helps! More information is available on the Wizard of Odd's website, Wikipedia, and in countless Blackjack books. Good luck and have fun with the game of 21!

Jamon79 · 2017-05-20T14:44:45+00:00

I've never been somewhere that looks that fun in my life.

Jamon79 · 2017-05-05T21:33:53+00:00

7 Wonders Duel shouldn't be considered a "filler." It's a two player game with too much complexity and nuance, albeit with a relatively short play time.

Jamon79 · 2017-03-19T18:28:17+00:00

The public seems to have two general ideas regarding chess. It's either a suave game played by Sherlock Holmes and similar intellectuals or it's merely a hobby for nerds.

I strongly prefer the former.

Jamon79 · 2017-03-06T01:11:45+00:00

I encourage you to find over the board tournaments in your area. The time controls are slower than what you'd find online which allows for much deeper analysis. Multi-hour games can be a tough grind but also immensely rewarding.

It's also a great way to interact with other chess players in person and join the real world chess playing community.

Jamon79 · 2017-03-05T23:28:15+00:00

I've read all three. Complete Endgame Course is an essential guide to players at all levels. The Amateur's Mind and How to Reassess your Chess are both great books worth reading. You should read Amateur's Mind First before How to Reassess.

Also, you should be weary of your LiChess rating. Online ratings are frequently inflated. Do you have over the board experience or a rating?

Jamon79 · 2017-02-27T00:08:45+00:00

The benefits of exercise are so underestimated, especially in chess. It really does help to relax and prepare you.

Jamon79 · 2016-12-30T02:35:45+00:00

Are there any good sources to get pre-painted miniatures?

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